The Transformers movie's been doing gangbusters business across the Atlantic and is getting plenty of play across UK movie and genre magazines at the moment. Hell, for all I know the film has already opened in British cinemas. I couldn't care less. I'm the wrong age to have any feelings about Transformers or the movie, let alone any enthusiasm. When the toys came out in the 80s and spawned a phenomenally successful cartoon series, I was already sneaking into R16 and R18 movies in New Zealand, getting drunk and trying to get lucky. Trucks that can turn into robots? Not for me, thanks.
Fast forward to today and blokes of a certain generation are getting their geek on for the big screen return of the robots in disguise. Less than meets the eye, as far as I'm concerned. That's not to denigrate the film or the franchise, but it's not my bag. I'm equally ambivilent about the Harry Potter films. If I had kids, they would mean more to me. Now the fifth Harry Potter film is out and the final novel goes on sale one minute past midnight. But I gave up on the novels about Goblet of Fire - it was the Quidditch World Cup that did for me - so I won't be staying up all night to read the last book.
Inevitably, that means I'll get the ending spoiled for me by some would-be genius who can't help blurting. Harry Potter's publishers have done remarkably well keeping a lid on the final book this long, but cracks are starting to appear in the Cone of Silence. Hard to imagine there'll be another shared cultural experience like this again in our lifetimes, when so many people around the world will all be reading the same new book at the same time. J.K. Rowling deserves all manner of medals for getting a generation of boys and girls reading books for fun.
2 comments:
I have to say I'm slightly surprised at all the comment going around about Transformers from people who aren't and never were Transformers fans. Seems a bit odd - of course you wouldn't be that interested if you hadn't been a fan of the cartoon series as a child. It's just another sci-fi action movie in that case. It seems to be a bit of an in-thing at the moment to knock Transformers, say that you weren't the right age for the cartoons, and ask what the fuss is about. Of course this happens for lots of things, but for Transformers fans (like me), it's a bit annoying.
But for those of us who are the right age, and were big fans (and in my case, still am), this movie has been on the radar for years. I can't flippin' wait!
It opens in the UK on July 27th.
Autobots, transform and roll out!
My son liked TRANSFORMERS and that is good enough for me.
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